This invention relates to improved magnetic units for treating a fluid within a conduit. The invention has been devised primarily for use in treating fresh water, and will be discussed mainly as applied to that use. However, it will be apparent that some of the structural features of the device disclosed in this application may also be applicable to magnetic devices for treating other fluids.
In U.S. patent applications Ser. No. 061,930 filed July 30, 1979 and Ser. No. 062,065 filed July 30, 1979, there has been disclosed a fluid treating device including a magnet assembly contained within a housing and adapted to be mounted to the outside of a water pipe or other conduit for magnetically affecting the contained fluid. The device of those prior inventions is effective to convert initially hard fresh water to a condition in which it will produce suds much more readily with a given amount of detergent or soap, and will otherwise have more of the characteristics of soft water. That prior device includes a magnet assembly having an overall effective south pole upstream of its overall effective north pole, and desirably consisting of three permanent magnets in a particular highly effective relationship for maximizing the strength of the poles. Each of the two pole pieces is preferably received between two of the three magnets, with a U-shaped flux return element engaging opposite ends of the assembly and having a return portion spaced outwardly from the magnets and pole pieces. A second housing part is received at the opposite side of the conduit and is connectable to the first mentioned magnet carrying part by interlocking teeth which detent the two housing parts against the pipe.